Our Scotland - www.our-scotland.org

Reluctant Hero · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject: Beginning of the end for Brown?

Labour came third in the council elections in England and Wales last night, way behind the Tories and just behind the Lib Dems. Is this the beginning of the end for Brown?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7372860.stm

_________________
Visit the Our Scotland Blog at http://our-scotland.blogspot.com/

Cymro · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 7:54 am Post subject:

That's really in England RH

In Wales they got even more of a hammering. Plaid Cymru made huge gains at the expense of Labour here too.

In Wrexham which is a hugely traditional Labour area Plaid Cymru took 4 seats from Labour. They never had seats here before

In Caerffili which Plaid had previously run the Council after a huge shock in 1999 but lost it again in 2003 are now equal with Labour on 32 seats each after taking 6 seats off them

In Torfaen, like Wrexham a massive Labour area, home of Paul Murphy who's the Welsh Secretary of State Plaid Cymru took it's first 3 Councillors from Labour here

In Rhondda, which like Caerffili was previously run by Plaid after the huge shocks of 1999 but lost heavily to Labour again in 2003 Plaid managed to make ground up again by winning 7 seats from them taking their new total to 20

On Anglesey Plaid took a seat from Labour

Even in Gwynedd, which saw Plaid loose control after taking heavy losses to a local party 'Llais Gwynedd' (Gwynedd Voice)* they still managed to win 4 seats from Labour

And the best yet

Camarthen Council - Plaid Cymru took 13 seats from Labour here!

* Gwynedd results where down to local arguments about closing rural schools. Many traditional Plaid Cymru voters and members where cross that the Plaid lead council wanted to close or federalise schools and created Llais Gwynedd to defend these schools. I'm obviously dissapointed but it's an issue that can be delt with localy and bares no reflection on Welsh wide issues..

Never again will Labour be able to govern Wales with such a firm grip.

agentmancuso · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 8:39 am Post subject:

Yes, it was very pleasing to watch Labour get such a drubbing in their Welsh heartlands. Good results for the Lib Dems there too, gaining 21 seats and significantly increasing presence on councils such as Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Merthyr Tydfil where we picked up 6 from a standing start.

Are Llais Gwynedd a Plaid splinter group, or a just a single-issue pressure group?
_________________
Liberty does not mean all good things, or the absence of all evils
Hayek

Lewis · No Longer a Wean Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 81

It was very interesting, the effects of Thatcher I think still echo and is why the Lib Dems got a large proportion, but it may restore people's faith in the party and we could have another Steel on our hands. It's highly hypothetical, but I think Labour are almost unpopular enough.
_________________
Hammish Independence

Reluctant Hero · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:53 pm Post subject:

A good article in the Sunday Herald about Brown's fate.

http://www.sundayherald.com/news/...isplay.var.2246200.0.down_out.php
_________________
Visit the Our Scotland Blog at http://our-scotland.blogspot.com/

Reluctant Hero · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:59 pm Post subject:

And in the SoS, it seems that Cabinet Ministers are beginning to plot against Brown. Although it will take 70 Labour MPs to force a leadership election.

Sometimes you have just got to accept that there is nothing you can do to change things. The Tories were in the same situation in the mid 90's. People want a change. It doesn't matter who is in the hotseat for Labour. Barring an absolute miracle, the Tories will be in power in 2010.

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman....9plots-against-Brown39.4049155.jp
_________________
Visit the Our Scotland Blog at http://our-scotland.blogspot.com/

Cymro · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 8:38 am Post subject:

agentmancuso · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject:

William_Cleland · This is Ma' Life! Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 777

Think the beginning of the end was when he bottled it late last year over having a general election.

Alasdair · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:29 am Post subject:

I think it actually began when he refused to talk to the SNP government, indeed when he stated that, as primeminister he wouldn't work them should they win the holyrood election ... bairn, pram, toys, out!
_________________
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation." - Voltaire

agentmancuso · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 3:21 pm Post subject:

Cymro · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 11:07 am Post subject:

agentmancuso · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 4:32 pm Post subject:

Cymro · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 9:36 am Post subject: